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Hooksett police investigate reports of men approaching students at bus stops

HOOKSETT - Police are conducting extra patrols near school bus stops after three incidents in the past 12 days of a man approaching students.

Sgt. Janet Bouchard said investigators believe two of the incidents, in which a Hispanic man driving a silver minivan in one case and a silver sedan in another, could possibly be connected. She said the third incident is not believed to be connected since it involved a “tan” man in a pickup truck approaching a teenage boy.

The first incident was reported about 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 24, on Dale Road. Police said a man driving a silver sedan yelled out to a 12-year-old girl to come over to his car. He drove off when she refused and ran away.

The man in that incident is described as Hispanic with dark hair and "stubble" for a beard.

Four days later, on Monday, Jan. 28, a man driving a silver mini-van with dark-tinted windows approached a 15-year-old girl as she was walking home from the bus stop on Zapora Drive, near Mammoth Road. He asked her to get into his car but drove off when she refused.

The man in that incident is described as a clean-shaven Hispanic with straight black hair. He wore a white T-shirt and spoke broken English.

The third incident happened Tuesday afternoon. A man driving a light brown pickup truck, possibly a Dodge Ram, with a small blue star sticker on the tailgate, drove up next to a 14-year-old boy who was waiting at the bus stop near Julia and Nancy drives. The man, in clear English, asked what the boy's name was and where he lived.

The man remained parked for about 15 minutes before driving away.

He is described as a tan, short man with a skinny build with short, dark hair. He wore a gray sweatshirt and had sunglasses resting on top of his head. The truck is described as having a New Hampshire registration and a loud exhaust.

Police are asking the public to call them at 624-1560 with information concerning the incidents .